Conveyer roller



Oct. 4, 1932. E. DREXLER 1,881,267

CONVEYER ROLLER Filed April 18, 193G ,4; ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 4, 1932UNITED STATES PATENT @FFICE ERNEST DREXLER, F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA,ASSIGNOR TO SCHLOEMANN AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT, OF DUSSELDORF, GERMANY, ACORPORATION OF GERMANY CONVEYE-R ROLLER Application filed April 18,1930. Serial No. 445,450.

My invention relates to conveyer rollers of the. individual drive type,wherein the roller derives its power from an electric motor housedwithin the roller, and my object, generally speaking, is to provide anovel, quick detachable connection between the motor and theroller-especially designed to enable the roller to be removed from theconveyor without disturbing the motor..

Another ofmy objects is to provide a connection of the charactermentioned which is of such construction as to permit the roller topartake of pivotal movements relative to the motor to facilitate properalignment of the roller during erection of the conveyor, and to assureof eflicient operation of the roller de spite any slight disalignmentthereof which ma develo 3 durin use of the CODVG" er. t)

lVith the foregoing and other objects in View, my invention consists ofthe novel for.- tures of construction, combination and arrangement ofparts as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in theaccompanying drawing and defined in the appended claims.

In the drawing, wherein like characters of reference denotecorresponding parts in the different views Fig. 1 is a longitudinalsection through a conveyor roller embodying the novel features of myinvention.

Fig. 2 is a transverse section on the line 2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a TIQQPQEIIiZEIFY'GlGViLElOH of the roller illustrating bydotted lines the manner of forming the interfitting parts of thedetachable connection to permit pivotal movements of the roller relativeto the motor.

A conveyor system employing a series of indiviually driven conveyerrollers of the present type may consist of a frame includ ing a pair ofspaced I-beams designated in Fig. 1 as 10, upon which the rollers aremounted in spaced, parallel-relation.

According to the present invention the roll.- er, designated as 11,is'in the form of a hollow cylinder or shell of suitable length anddiameter, open at one end and provided in any suitable manner at itsother end with a trunnion 12. i

any suitable manner, preferably through the instrumentality of ball orother friction bearings 16, said rotor element as shown, preferablybeing in the form of a hollow shell en closing the stator element 18.

Formed in the outer face of the rotor element or shell 14 is a pluralityof longitudinally extending slots 17 of suitable length, depth andwidth, spaced, preferably, equidistantly circumferentially of the shelland the side walls of which preferably are disposed parallel to oneanother.

Formed on or suitably fixed to the inner face of the roller 11 is aplurality of longitudinally extending ribs 18 of suitable length and ofa depth and width to be received neatly within the respective slots 17,said ribs corresponding in number to said slots and having the samecircumferential spacing as the latter. Thus it is apparent that theroller is engageable with and disengagable from the motor shell or rotorelement 14f by relative longitudinal movement between the roller andsaid shell or rotor element, and that when the ribs of the roller areengaged in the slots of the rotor, relative rotation between the rollerand the rotor is prevented.

The side and inner surfaces of the ribs 18, longitudinally thereofpreferably are convexly curved as illustrated in Fig. 3 so that said ibshave transverse line contact with the sides of the slots 17 and theroller thus is permitted to partake of pivotal movements relative to therotor.

In the assembled relation of the motor and the roller, the former isdisposed within the latter and a portion of the shaft projects beyondthe end of the roller and constitutes effect a trunnion for mounting theroller upon the conveyor frame. That is to say, a bearing or mounting 19for theshaft is carried by one of the I-beams 10 and the shaft either isclamped rigidly inthis hearing by a removable cap piece 20 for example,or the shaft is non-rotatably but pivotally mounted in said bearing asdisclosed, for ex- Fromtlie-5foregoing description consideredsc inconnection with the. accompanying drawing, it is apparent that simply byremoving the bearing 21 the roller may, by longitudinal movementthereof, be disengaged from the motor and removed fromthe conveyerwithout disturbing, the motor, and that the same or a substitute rollermay be replacedin the same manner. Moreover, itisapparent that when. theroller is assembled with themotor, the. pivotal movement of. which theroller is capable, due to the convex curvature of the sides ofl theribs18, permits: ready vertical and lateral adjustmentsof the bearingcQl toeffect proper alignment of the roller. Furthen, it is apparent that evenin.- the event of any slight'disalignment of the roller, the rollerwillv rotate freely and any binding of parts will beavoidedbytreason ofthe connection 1718. 1

As in the case of my prior application heretofore referred to,passages-may be formed in the in aftl l5-t'o accommodate conductors forfurnishing current to the motor, and'to enable-lubricant readily to-besupplied to the bearings 16.. Also, asin the case. of my priorapplication, and as is manifest, the stator element-of the motor is heldv against rotations by reason.- of its fixedi mounting on the shaft15,.Which isheld against rotation by the bearing 1.9, and thereforethe.ro-ller 11 is rotatedrwith-theirotor element 13-due to the splinedconnection 17-18 between the roller. and said. rotor element. 7

VVhilethe slots- 17 have been illustrated. in the present: instance asbeing formed in the rotor ll, andv-the:ribsrl8zhave been-illustrated asbeing; formed on the roller, it is manifest that this arrangement: mayreadily be reversed Also, it is'manifest'. that While aspecific typeofquick, detachable connection between the roller and: the rotor hasbeen illustrated in the drawing, said; connection aswell asotherfeaturesrofthe general structural arrangement shown}arecapableofvariousmodificat-ions and changes without departing from;the spirit and, scope ofthe invention. as defined in! the appendedclaims lclaimzr 1 A conveyer rolleigamotorinclusive of'a stator andarrotor disposedwithin-s-aid roller, anda pivotal connectionbetween-said roller andsaidrotor.

2; Avconveyer'roller, a motor inclusive of a: stator-and azrotordisposed wi'thin saidroller,

and a pivotal connection between said roller and said rotor holding themagainst relative rotation and permitting their disengagement from oneanother by relative longitudinal movement.

3. A conveyer roller, a motor inclusive of a stator and airotordisposed-within said roller, and formations on said roller and saidrotor adapted to be interengaged by relative longitudinalmovementbetween the roller and the rotor and serving when interengaged tointerlock the roller and the rotor for unitary rotation. I

4. A conveyer roller element, a motor inclusive ofa rotor elementdisposed within said roller, one of said elements having slots formedtherein, and projections on the-other of said elements adapted to beengaged in said slots by relative longitudinal movement between saidelements to interlock the latter for unitary rotation.

5. A conveyer roller element in the form of a hollow shell, a motorinclusive of a rotor element disposed within said shell, one of saidelements having slots formed therein,

and'projections on the other of said elements engaged in said slots andremovable therefrom by relative longitudinal movement between saidelements.

6. A hollow conveyer roller, a motor inclusive of'a rotor disposedwithin said roller, said rotor being provided with slots, and ribsextending inwardly from the inner face of the roller into said slots.

7; A hollow conveyer roller element, a motor inclusive of a rotorelement disposed within said roller element, one of said'elements beingprovided with slots, and projections on the other of said elementsdisposed within said slots and shaped to permit pivotalmovements of theroller element relative to the rotor element.

8, A hollow conveyer roller element, a motor inclusive of a rotorelement disposed within said roller element, one of said elements beingprovided with slots, and ribs on the other of said elements disposedwithin saidslots,said ribs having convexly curved side surfaces.

9. A hollow conveyer roller element a motor inclusiveof'a rotor elementdisposed within said roller element, one of said elements being providedwith slots, and longitudinally extending ribs on the other of saidelements disposed within said slots, said slots having parallel sidewalls and each of the longitudinally extending faces of each rib beingconvexly curved in a direction longitudinally of the rib. v

In testimony whereof I aflix mv signature ERNEST DREXLER.

